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You know what’s one of my favorite snacks? Yogurt!

It’s creamy and tangy, which means sort of sour and strong-tasting. And I think it’s really delicious! Sometimes I’ll have some yogurt for breakfast, maybe with some granola sprinkled on top or some fruit mixed in.

Or sometimes I’ll have it as a snack. It’s so tasty, and it’s also really good for you! Most yogurt is made from milk — usually cow’s milk, but not always.

There’s also goat milk yogurt, sheep milk yogurt, and even buffalo milk yogurt! But the ingredient that makes it so thick and creamy and gives it that tangy taste is something you might not expect: bacteria! I understand why you’re surprised, Squeaks!

Bacteria are super duper small living things, too small for us to see with our eyes. You might have heard people mention them when they’re talking about germs that can make you sick. But just like there are lots of different types of animals and plants, there are also lots of different types of bacteria.

And the kinds that we put in milk to make yogurt are actually good for you! Before yogurt-makers add this special good bacteria to the milk, they first get rid of any bad bacteria that could make you sick by pasteurizing the milk, or heating it up. That kills any bad bacteria that might be hanging around.

We do this for all sorts of stuff that’s made from milk – yogurt, of course, and also cheese and butter! Once the yogurt-makers get rid of any bad bacteria, it’s time to introduce the good bacteria. This is the special stuff that makes yogurt, yogurt!

We call them probiotics. We already have some of these bacteria inside our bodies, and they help our stomachs stay healthy. Sometimes it’s good to get extra probiotics, like if you have an upset stomach or if you were taking certain types of medicines.

So the probiotics in yogurt are like a special extra boost. When we add probiotics to milk, they start to eat a type of sugar that’s in the milk. And as they eat it, they turn it into something else: an ingredient called lactic acid.

That’s what makes yogurt so creamy and tangy! There are a bunch of different types of probiotics out there, and they all make yogurt taste a little different. Some yogurts have a really strong flavor, and other yogurts are pretty mild.

The type of milk the yogurt is made of affects the flavor, too — yogurt from a cow will taste different than yogurt from a sheep. You might have also seen yogurts that aren’t made from animal milk at all! Maybe they’re made from soy milk or coconut milk or almond milk.

The same kind of probiotics that are added to cow’s milk or sheep’s milk to make yogurt are added to non-dairy milks like soy milk, and that’s how those milks become yogurt, too! And, of course, we can put different flavors in the yogurt to give it different tastes, like vanilla or strawberry. Yogurts can also taste different from one another because of another ingredient: sugar.

More sugar can make the yogurt taste sweeter, and there’s usually more of it in flavored types of yogurt than in the plain kind. We try not to eat too much sugar, though. A little bit is okay, but eating a lot of sugar isn’t very good for you.

You know what, Squeaks? All this yogurt-talk is making me pretty hungry! How about a nice bowl of fresh, tangy yogurt?

We could even add some granola and raisins on top. Thanks for joining us! If you want to keep learning all about our delicious, nutritious world, hit the subscribe button, and don’t forget to check us out on the YouTube Kids app.

We’ll see you next time, here at the Fort! [ OUTRO ].